Face-painting at a pre-school party. Peace signs, princess tigers, and princess kitties, oh my.

Hanging out with the kidset makes me come alive.  Walking the world on my knees, telling stories under the table, constructing a parallel universe in sand from sticks, stones, and seeds.  I thrive in sharing imaginings that engage the root question of how fabulously we can glob together our super-powers.

To this effect, I love to be invited to face-paint and lead art projects at birthday parties and other get-togethers where small people are the majority.  I got into it by accident, when my ex-con boriquo clown/mechanic friend Mo asked me to partner him for a gig.  We had a blast, and I loved the way he worked both the kids and adults with the same moves and songs.

I love being in that world, close-up and honest with kids listening to them dream their characters out loud.  “Why do you have a mustache?”  You must become as a child: Crying, laughing, truth-telling in the moment it arises.  I aspire to be this with It — letting emotion arise and pass as it comes, so as not to store anything that is less than authentic.  Try one of my favorite games: next time you are at a bar or business meeting, imagine everyone there as your kindergarden recess friend.  What do you do next?